Elastic fabric



Nov, 19, 1935. w. EusTls ELASTIC FABRIC O rginal Filed April 2'?, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l I vENToR mbv n.'i

ATTORN W. EUSTIS ELASTIC FABRIC Nov. 19, 1935.

Original Filed April 2'?, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iNVENTOR ATTORNEY,

Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES ELASTIC FABRIC Warner Eustis, Newton, Mass., assigner lto The Kendall Company, Walpole, Mass., a corpora-` tion of Massachusetts Application April 27, 1931, Serial No, 533,016 Renewed April 5, 1935 claims.

This invention relates to elastic fabrics and to methods of making such fabrics.

The usual method of making elastic fabrics consists in weaving thread or yarn with a series of rubber strands held under tension. While fabrics of this character have been made for many years and are in very common use, they have, nevertheless, certain characteristics and qualities which limit their usefulness orwhich are objectionable for some purposes. An especially troublesome characteristic of these fabrics is the tendency of the threads or strands of rubber to pull away from a cut edge. For example, when these fabrics are cut and sewed into garments, bandages, supporters, and various other articles, the rubber strands frequently will pull through the lines of stitching when the goods are stretched, thus reducing the elasticity of the fabric and producing an unsightly article.

Because of the necessity for providing a selvage to prevent ravelling these elastic fabrics are made almost exclusively in narrow wear looms. The production of looms of this type necessarily is Very low and the expense of making fabrics in them is correspondingly high.

A further factor which substantially increases' the expense of manufacture of webbing of this type is the necessity for using rubber thread which has had a covering of cotton or other thread or yarn wound around it, such a covering being necessary in order to prevent the rubber from being exposed when the fabric is stretched.

The present invention has forI its general object to improve elastic fabrics and the processes of making them with a view to overcoming the objectionable features above mentioned. The

invention aims particularly to avoid the use of rubber threads withthe attendant difficulty in 'unskeining such thread, avoiding the expense of covering the thread, and eliminating the difficulty of handling such thread in thev relatively short lengths in which it is manufactured. -It isalso an object of the invention to reduce the expense of making elastic fabrics and tov devise a fabric which can be produced in wide widths and later cut into strips or blanked out into pieces of any desired shape o1' design, While still avoiding any danger of ravelling.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly f pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are plan views illustrating composite fabrics embodying features of this invention, a part of the upper layer of material of each fabric being shown turned back;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 1, 2, and -Il illustrating another fabric made in accordance with this invention; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a supporter -embodying features of this invention.

The present invention provides an elastic sheet material comprising a. fabric which is extensible l10 and which may have little or no inherent elasticity, but which has been given the desired degree of elasticity by being impregnated or coated with rubber. A

AVarious kinds of fabrics may be used for this 15 purpose. For many purposes a knit fabric is preferable. Such fabrics may be obtained in a. great variety of forms and may be composed of cotton, wool, silk, flax or other fibres, or combinations of fibres. They may be loosely or close-2t ly woven, as desired, and they may have a very high degree of extensibility.

Bias cut woven fabrics also may be used. In such goods the warp and llling threads both run diagonally to the edges of the fabric, and if they 2l are loosely woven they have a very substantial degree of extensibility.

A novel fabric which is especially suitable for this purpose comprises a woven fabric in which leither the warp or lling threads, orboth, con- 30 sist of overtwisted yarn or thread. Such a thread tends to contract and to kink due to the exceptionally high degree of twist which has been imparted to it, and this tendency can be utilized in the fabric to increase the extensibility and if desired, also, the inherent elasticity of 'the fabric. For example, a very satisfactory fabric suitable for use i'n thisinvention is made by weaving a filling thread, which may be relatively coarse, with overtwisted and comparatively ne Warp 40 threads, the latter threads being maintained under suiiicientl tension to facilitate the weaving process, and the filling` threads being so spaced that when the tension on the goods has been relieved after the completion of the weaving op- 45 eration the fabric will then contract due to the action of the overtwisted warp threads. Such contraction may be sufficient to bring the filling threads substantially into contact with each other so that the filling threads will form most 50 of the surface of the contracted fabric. At the same time such a fabric has a substantial degree of extensibility in the direction of the warp. It a fabric made in this manner is bias cut, an added degree of extensibility or stretch isafforded. Itis 55 also contemplated that knitted fabrics may be made in which overtwisted yarn is used to increase the stretch or extensibility of the fabric, and that such fabrics may be used to advantage in the manufacture of elastic sheet materials according to this invention.

When an extensible fabric, such as one of those above mentioned, is coated or impregnated with rubber of a highly elastic nature, an elastic fabric is produced which is entirely satisfactory for many purposes. For those uses, however, in which the exposed rubber surface is objectionable a more satisfactory product may be produced by interposing the coating of rubber between two superposed extensible plies of fabric, thev rubber coating being relied upon not only to impart the desired degree of elasticity to the composite fabric but also to bond the two fabrics securely to each other. All of the fabrics above mentioned may be made in broad widths, and later cut or slitted into strips of any desired widths, or they may be blanked or cut out with cutting dies, or in any other manner to produce shaped pieces of any suitable form. The coating of rubber eifectually prevents the threads of the cut pieces from ravelling.

The coating of rubber may be applied in many ways, as for example, the rubber in a masticated form may be applied in a spreader, or a thin sheet of rubber may be united to the surface of the goods. For most purposes, however, I prefer to apply the rubber in a liquid form, either as latex, in a solution, or as a dispersion. In these forms the rubber bonds more readily to the libres of the fabrics and produces an exceptionally secure union. I have obtained particularly favorable results by the use of vulcanized rubber latex and self-vulcanizing rubber latex. In making a plied fabric the rubber in liquid form may be rolled or otherwise spreadv on the surface of one web lnf fabric and the second web then may be pressed into the coated surface and secured by the coating to the first web.

Whether the application of the rubber is fundamentally an impregnating or a coating operation will depend chiefly on the results desired, but in either event a coating of the threads or yarn composing the fabric will result since a sufficient body of rubber must be associated with the fabric to give to it the desired degree of elasticity.

The openness and porosity of woven elastic fabrics is an essential requirement for many uses, and the present invention proposes to produce this quality or characteristic when desired by applying the rubber coating in a foraminous or highly pervious form. At the same time the coating should have sufficient thickness and continuity to give the desired degree of elasticity to the final product. When the elasticity or stretch is desired in one dimension only of the fabric the coating may be applied in the form of strands or strips running in said direction. On the other hand, if both longitudinal and transverse elasticity are desired then the coating may be given a grid-like character. Such coatings may be applied, for example, with engravedrolls.

In Fig. 1 a fabric is shown which consists of upper and lower plies or layers 2 and l, respectively, of extensible fabric of any suitable character, these plies being united by interme nally of the fabric between the marginal strips 4 and being spaced at suitable distances from each other and from the marginal strips, additional narrow strips 6 also extending longitudinally of the goods between the wider strips. All 5 of these strips are united securely to both fabrics,

in the event that two plies of fabric are used. They serve not only to secure the two fabrics together and to impart the desired degree of elastic'ity to the web, but the wide intermediate strips 10 5 also facilitate the cutting or slitting of the fabric into narrower strips suitable for Various uses, such as garters, Suspenders, elastic reinforcing tapes, and the like. It will be understood that in slitting the fabric the cuts should l5 be made along the center line of the rubber strips 5-5 so that each strip will have strands of rubber extending along its opposite edges where they will prevent the goods from ravelling. The fabric strips made in this manner will not only 20 have a substantial degree of elasticity but will also have the porosity and openness which is highly desirable for a great many purposes.

The fabric shown in Fig. 2 is much likethat illustrated in Fig. 1, both the fabric plies 2 and 25 3', however, being illustrated as made of loosely woven bias cut cloth. These two plies are connected together by relatively wide strip .coatings of rubber 4 and 5', as in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1. The rubber coat- 30 ing 1 intermediate these longitudinal strips, however, is of a foraminous and grid-like character. All of these coatings may be applied to the fabric simultaneously. Such a rubber coating or ply gives to the fabric a substantial degree of trans- 35 verse elasticity as well as a high degree of longitudinal elasticity. At the same ytime the presence of the wider longitudinal strips 5' permits the slitting of the web in the manner previouslydescribed in connection with Fig. 1. 40

Fig. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention very much like that shown in Fig. 2 except that the reticulated foraminous sections 8 of the rubber coating between the heavier longitudinal strips 4" and 5 includes strands 45 running both longitudinally and transversely of the web, the longitudinal strands being heavier and stronger than the transverse strands.

Fig. 4 shows a fabric in which the rubberhas been applied in a design or design sections adapt- 50 ed to facilitate the blanking out or cutting out of parts of definite shape suited for a certain purpose. In this particular case the parts shown are intended for use in the manufacture of athletic supporters. As shown, the material con- 55 sists of two plies of fabric lll and I2 bonded together by an intermediate coating of rubber applied in the form just described. Each design section is of approximately rectangular outline and is bounded by relatively heavy or wide bands 60 of rubber. In one end of each rectangular scction is a curved notch or gore Il. The remainder of the surface of each section has a foraminous coating similar to that shown in Fig. 2. It is contemplated that these design sections will be 65 cut out with a cutting die which will conform to the outline of the notched or gored rectangle so that each cut piece will have a continuous outline of rubber. Later the edges of the -gore or notch I4 are sewed or cemented together, or 70 secured to each other in any other suitable manner, thus producing the fullness desired in the front member I0', Fig. 5, of an athletic supporter such as that shown in said figure. This supporter also includes a belt l5 and side straps 75 I6 which may consist of strips made by one of the methods above described.

A great Avariety of shaped pieces .can be cut out of elastic fabric made in accordance with this invention. Due to the nature of the material, ravelling at the cut edgesis avoided and any danger of the rubber strands withdrawing from the cut edges is obviated.

In making elastic fabrics such as that shown in Fig. 4 the rubber coating may be given a color which will contrast with that of the fabric in order to facilitate the registration of the cutting die with the rubber design sections. In other fabrics manufactured in accordance with this invention such coloring of the rubber may also be used for purposes of decoration or design. In many cases, however, it is preferable to have the color of the rubber substantially identical with that of the fabric for the purpose of concealing the rubber so far as possible.

In some fabrics it is desirable to have the rubber under an initial tension when the fabric is in its normal and unstretched or contracted condition. This result is commonly obtained in making ordinary elastic webbings by maintaining the rubber threads or strands under tension during the weaving operation. Such a result can be produced according to the present methods by making a fabric in the manner above described and subsequently stretching the composite fabricand loading the textile fibres of it with a filler of some kind which will prevent the fabric from again returning to its original condition. Fcr this purpose a great variety of llers can be use d such as those commonly employed in loading fabrics. Or, the stretched and tensioned fabric may be coated on the side opposite that to which the original rubber coating has been applied with a rubber latex or rubber dispersion which will have essentially the same effect as the other loading materials above mentioned, so far as preventing the return of the fabric to its original condition is concerned.

In such a fabric the original rubber coating is held under tension when the fabric is inpits normal and contracted condition. Or, in other words, the rubber coating tends, even when the fabric is contracted, to produce a further contraction of the fabric, such contraction being prevented by the filling or loading material carried by the threads of the fabric and which serves to partly fill up the interstices or intervening spaces between adjoining threads.

This result can also be accomplished by combining a rubber sheet with an extensible fabric and maintaining the rubber sheet stretched during the combining operation.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the invention provides a method lwhereby elastic fabrics having essentially the same properties and advantages of those made by the methods heretofore commonly used may be manufactured in wide widths and later cut into narrow widths suitable for use in garters, suspenders supporters, corsets, and the like. While the weas shown in the drawings are relatively narrow, it will be understood that this showing has been made simply by way of example and for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of the fundamental idea.

The invention effects a very substantial saving" in the methods of manufacture of elastic fab-A rics as compared with those heretofore commonly used due to the fact that the rubber is incorporated in the fabric in a less expensive form. 'I'he necessity of weaving the goods in narrow looms is obviated, and the use of rubber threads with the disadvantages which attend such use are avoided. Fabrics embodying this invention can be mad in a great variety 5 of weights and thicknesses, either single or multiple, and they may be either porous or not, as desired. In addition to the advantages above mentioned for these fabrics, it may also be pointed out that whereas the common elastic fabrics l0 are elastic in one direction only, it is entirely possible to make elastic fabrics by this method which will have both transverse and longitudinal elasticity. In addition, the objection to the transverse contraction which is characteristic of rubber strips and bands when they are stretched longitudinally, can be avoided where it is important to do so. For example, a strip fabric such as that shown in Figs. 2 and 3 will contract transversely when it is stretched longitudinally This will not be true, however, of the fabric shown in Fig. 1. For some purposes this is a substantial advantage. The fact that the flnal products produced in accordance with. this invention, such as elastic webs, strips, and cut pieces, may be entirely independent, as to dimensions, from the Width of the original fabric is an especially important practical advantage. It effects economies in practically the entire series of manufacturing operations when compared with the usual methods of manufacturing elastic fabrics. For example, it reduces the weaving equipment required in the mill and the labor expense involved both in operating and in changing over for different products. So far as I am aware no elastic fabrics have-been made heretofore in which these economies can be realized.

While I have herein showny and described typical embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in a great variety of other forms without de parting from the spirit or scope thereof. Also, that variations may be made in the method above described without departing from its essential characteristics.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. An article of the character described comprising an extensible fabric having a coating of rubber bonded thereto and serving to impa.t a substantial degree of elasticity tothe fabric, said coating being held under tension when the fabric is in its normal and contracted condition. p

2. An article of the character described comprising an extensible fabric having a coating of rubber bonded thereto and serving to impart a substantial degree of elasticity to the fabric, said rubber coating tending, when the fabric isv in its normal and contracted condition, to further contractthe fabric.

3. An article of the character described comprising an extensible fabric having a coating of rubber bonded thereto and serving to impart a substantial degree of elasticity to the fabric, and a filling carried by said fabric and cooperating with the threads of the fabric to maintain the rubber coating under tension when the fabric is fully contracted.

4. An article of the character described comprising a fabric readily extensible in different directions having a coating of rubber bonded thereto and serving to impart a substantial degree of elasticity to the fabric, portions of said coating being applied to the fabric in design sectio'ns each having a continuous outline of rubber.

5. An article of the character described comprising a fabric readily extensible in different directions having a coating of rubber bonded thereto and serving to impart a substantial degree of elasticity to the fabric, portions of said coating being applied to the fabric in design sections whereby said sections may be cut bodily from the fabric, the rubber coating serving to prevent the fabric from ravelling.

6. An article of the character described com'- prising an extensible fabric carrying rubber serving to give a substantial degree of elasticity to the fabric, the rubber being held under an initial tension by a filling material partly closing the spaces between the threads of the fabric and permanently united to the fabric.

7. An article of the character described comprising a relatively wide web of extensible fabric, parallel strips of rubber bonded to the surface of said fabric and spaced apart, additional rubber strands bonded to said fabric between said parallel strips, said strips and strands serving to impart a substantial degree of elasticity to the fabric, and said parallel strips serving to reinforce the edges of narrow webs which may be cut from the composite fabric by lines of cut extending along said parallel strips.

8. An article of the character described comprising a relatively wide web of extensible fabric,

. parallel strips of rubber bonded to the surface of said fabric and spaced apart, foraminous strips of rubber bonded to said fabric between said parallel strips, all of said strips cooperating to impart a substantial degree of elasticity to the fabric, and said parallel strips serving to reinforce the edges of narrow webs which may be cut from the composite fabric by lines of cut extending along said parallel strips.

9. An article of the character described. comprising fibrous warp and filling threads interwoven with each other to form an extensible fabric, one, at least, of said sets of threads having an inherent tendency to contract, whereby they tend to hold the other set of threads in a closely spaced relationship to each other but permit the extension of the fabric to separate the latter threads, and a coating of rubber bonded to the surface of said fabric and auginenting the inherent contractile tendency of said contractile threads tending to hold the other K set of threads in a closely spaced relationship and serving to impart a substantial degree of elasticity to the fabric.

10. An article of the character described, comprising fibrous warp and filling threads inter- .woven with each other to form an extensible fabric, the warp threads having a substantial degree of overtwist and the two sets of threads being interwoven with the filling threads spaced apart, whereby the overtwisted warp threads tend to contract the fabric in a warpwise direction but permit its extension in said direction,

and a coating of rubber bonded to the surface of said fabric and augmenting the inherent contractile tendency of said warp threads to hold the fabric normally in a contracted condition and to impart a substantial'degree of warpwise 5 elasticity to the fabric.

11. An article of the character described, comprising fibrous warp and filling threads interwoven with each other with the filling threads spaced apart by substantial distances, said warp l0 threads having an inherent tendency to contract, whereby they normally hold the filling threads closely adjacent to each other and produce slack in the warps which allows warpwise extension of the fabric, and a coating of rubber bonded to the 15 surface of said fabric and augmenting the inherent contractile tendency of said warp threads to hold the fabric normally in a contracted condition and to elastically resist warpwise extension of the fabric.

12. An article of the character described comprising a fabric extensible in one or more directions while maintaining the angular relationship of the warp and filling threads substantially undisturbed, and a coating of rubber bonded 25 permanently to said fabric in design sections, each having a continuous outline of rubber, whereby thecutting of said sections from the fabric along said outline will produce cut edges having a substantial degree of elasticity impart- 30 ed thereto'by said rubber.

13. An article of the character described, comprising warp and filling threads interwoven with each other to form a fabric, one at least of said sets of threadsbeing extensible without sub- 35 stantial alteration of the angles of the spaces between the warp and filling threads, and rubber bonded to said fabric in design sections, said rubber being sufficiently heavy to serve as a binding for and to impart a substantial degree of elas- 40 ticity to the edges of said design sections when the latter are cut out of the fabric.

14. An article of the character described, comprising warp and filling threads interwoven with each other to form a wire web fabric, one at least 45 of said sets of threads being extensible, land strips of rubber bonded to the said fabric parallel to said extensible threads and serving to reinforce and impart elasticity to the edges of the narrow webs, which may be cut from said fabric in lines of separation extending along said parallel strips.

15. An article of the character described, comprising warp and filling threads interwoven with each other to form a wide web fabric, one at least of said sets of threads being extensible, and strips of rubber bonded to the said fabric parallel to said extensible threads and serving to reinforce and impart elasticity to the edges of the narrow webs, which may be cut from said fabric 30 in lines of separation extending along said parallel strips, said strips having an initial tension when completed.

WARNER EUSTIS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,021,552. November lO; 1935.

WARNER EUSTIS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, first column, line 71, after "coatings" insert of; page 4, second column, line 45, claim 14, for "wire" read wide; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thea: corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of January, A. D. 1936.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) l Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

